Countdown to Armageddon
by Betterbuddy
Summary: While overcoming incredibly dangerous tasks and defeating the worst enemies, Team-Gibbs becomes stronger and their bond becomes stronger. But, "what if" a love-smitten Gibbs marries Dr. Samantha Ryan? "What happens to Team-Gibbs?" S9 SPOILERS


Title: Countdown to Armageddon

Author Note: I recently read that Jamie Lee Curtis would like to join the cast as a regular for season 10. Here is my take on that. Although I love JLC and think she is a great actress, I do not like how the rest of Team-Gibbs is almost sidelined when she is there.

**Introduction**

Over the last nine years, Gibbs and the Gibblets have suffered through countless tragedies including the deaths of Kate Todd, Director Shepard, and Mike Franks. They have overcome incredible obstacles, taken on incredibly dangerous tasks, and defeated the worst enemies. Yet, Team-Gibbs moves on, becoming stronger, and their bond becomes stronger. But, "what if" a love-smitten Gibbs marries Dr. Samantha Ryan? "What if" Samantha Ryan is able to break through Gibbs' tough-as-nails exterior, so that he is able to love-again. What will a new, softer, in-love, and married Gibbs mean for Team-Gibbs?

**Countdown to Armageddon **

**Vance's Office**

"Gibbs! Welcome back! How was your honeymoon with Dr. Ryan?" Vance asked.

"We had a great time." Gibbs said. "I don't mean to change the subject, but what happened to my team?"

"Well, DiNozzo decided that being a cop even at NCIS was no longer for him. He decided to move back to New York and follow in his father's footsteps. I tried to talk him out of leaving. We all did. I even offered him his own team in D.C., and he turned it down. And, I guess he and David have been breaking Gibbs Rule #12 because she is pregnant, so she went with him to New York. McGee moved back down to Cyber Crimes for the time being, and he is considering that promotion to Japan again."

"Whaaaaaat!" Gibbs struggled not to yell out his complaint, shaking his head in the process.

"Oh no. That is unacceptable. I want my team back." Gibbs yelled. "How did this happen?"

"Your team started to slip apart a few months back. This has been building. They went into their own directions, when you announced your engagement to Dr. Ryan." Vance said. "When you started to change, they started to change."

Gibbs exited the office trying to think back to when he first announced his engagement. He tried to remember what went wrong.

**Two Months Earlier**

**Squad Room**

"See that! Huh! There is the hop in his step." Ziva announced to McGee and DiNozzo as they sat in the squad room watching as Gibbs and Samantha left in the elevator.

"Well, I am going back over to talk to our witness to see if Abby's theory is correct." DiNozzo said, irritated with Ziva's enthusiasm over Gibbs' new found love interest.

"You sound tired, Tony." McGee said, looking over at him.

"I am. Tired. Lonely. Mad. Unhappy. Angry. Sad. Depressed. Unloved. Hungry. Starving." DiNozzo said slowly making his way to the elevator. As he watched DiNozzo head for the elevator, McGee's desk phone started to ring.

"McGee." McGee said into the phone. "What? Okay Abs, I will be right down."

"She sounded really mad." McGee said to Ziva.

"Abby?" Ziva said astonished.

"Yeah." McGee said as he headed down.

**Abby's Lab**

"McGee!" Abby screamed. McGee found her sobbing. Her makeup was all down her cheeks. She was hyperventilating.

"Abby, what is wrong?" McGee said running over to her. He grabbed her hands and tried to calm her down. He pulled her into a tight embrace. McGee finally let her go. He cuffed her cheek and caressed the side of her face.

"Abs, what is? What is wrong?" McGee asked.

"I don't think I can do this. I cannot support Gibbs' engagement to Samantha Ryan." She finally was able to say through her sobs.

"Abs, . . .we have to be supportive. Gibbs has been alone for a long time. He deserves to be happy." McGee tried to justify and defend Gibbs' decision to propose to Samantha Ryan.

"I know. And, I want Gibbs happy, but it is like he has forgotten us. She has kidnapped him away from us. We cannot survive without Gibbs." Abby continued to cry.

"Abs. . .come on." McGee said to her. "He hasn't changed that much."

It took a great length of time, but McGee finally got Abby calmed down enough that she was smiling and laughing. She still did not like the changes since Gibbs' engagement was officially announced. They sat together on the floor, after Abby finally collapsed from sobbing so hard. DiNozzo entered the room and did not see them sitting on the floor at first.

"Abs?" He said as he entered.

"Over here Tony." She said. He found the two of the sitting on the floor. He could see how much she was crying. McGee was holding her. He approached them with a little box.

"Your theory was right Abs. You solved our case. Great work Abs." DiNozzo said as he knelt down to them. He tried to build her up, as he also knew how badly Abby was taking Gibbs' marriage announcement.

"And, Gibbs just came out of MTAC. He had to leave again, but he wanted me to bring you some Caf-Pow and this." DiNozzo said, handing her a rectangular, red box. "He would never forget your birthday, Abs."

"Oh, my. . .and it matches so closely to the one he got me last year. Thank you Tony. Can you tell Gibbs I said thank you, if you see him." McGee got up from the floor. He followed DiNozzo out of the lab. They got into the elevator. McGee hit the emergency stop button.

"What will happen if Gibbs really brings her a birthday gift, Tony?" McGee asked.

"Wha—what?" He asked.

"That wasn't from Gibbs." McGee looked him over critically. "What if he remembers and brings her a gift?"

"He is too distracted right now." DiNozzo said confidently. McGee shook his head and released the emergency stop.

"Not a smart idea, DiNozzo." McGee said again. "This will backfire."

"Well, I had to do something. She is devastated right now." DiNozzo said.

"Yeah, she is." McGee said. "It was a nice gesture though."

"Yeah." DiNozzo said quickly dismissing the comment, knowing that McGee did not agree with his decision.

"DiNozzo." Vance said. McGee and DiNozzo stopped to listen to the director.

"We have a situation." Vance said. "We have a man in a Marine uniform that has taken five people hostage at the airport. Where are Gibbs and Samantha Ryan? Hopefully, she can lend a hand for this situation."

"I-I don't know sir." DiNozzo stuttered.

"Well, if you are unable to find her, you, David, and McGee will need to handle it then." Vance said.

**Squad Room**

"Well, . . .that was a disaster." DiNozzo said holding a cold compress to his head.

"How is your head Tony?" Ziva asked. She was wincing because she saw DiNozzo wincing as he pulled it away from his head.

"I can't believe it. We walked right into an ambush." McGee said in shock.

"How could we have known!" Ziva shot back at both of them.

"Ugh." DiNozzo moaned and let his head slam against his desk.

"DiNozzo!" Vance yelled as he ran into the squad room. DiNozzo instantly popped up from his desk and went to a standing position. Feeling like he was a Marine being yelled at by Gibbs, he assumed the position of a soldier at attention.

"What the h*ll just happened? What was that?" Vance yelled at him.

"Sir, we did not anticipate that the hostages were in on it when we entered the room." DiNozzo answered.

"Yeah, I got that part. How the h*ll did you allow this to happen?" Vance continued to yell.

"Well, sir, I did. I just plain screwed up." DiNozzo said. "I did not anticipate that our Marine was actually a member of a terrorist group and that the five hostages were also terrorists. I did not anticipate that we were being ambushed as a distraction for a real attack."

"It happened fast, Director. We just entered the room and they all started firing." Ziva interjected. "There was no way we could have known."

"The terrorist in the stolen Marine uniform was. . ." McGee tried to explain.

"What happened here?" Gibbs asked looking over at his team. He was looking at McGee who had his arm in a sling. He glanced over at Ziva who was wearing a neck brace.

"Where have you been, Gibbs?" Vance said. "Your team really screwed this one up."

"What happened?" Gibbs asked. Gibbs fingered DiNozzo to walk over to him by the windows. He took in the gash he had stitched up on his cheek and the cold compress he was holding to his head. Vance finally walked the other way. DiNozzo had explained the situation that left them badly injured and six terrorists dead.

"You got out alive. That should be the important part." Gibbs said, looking at his team in concern. "Why is Vance so upset?"

"When we were exchanging fire with these terrorists, we didn't find out there was a bomb until it was too late. There was a huge explosion in one of the terminals." DiNozzo said somberly.

"How-how many dead?" Gibbs asked, horrified from the information.

"So far, two." DiNozzo answered. Gibbs shook his head from the information. He looked over at the rest of the team. Gibbs took in their injuries. He then turned back to DiNozzo. Gibbs tried to reach over and wipe a drop of blood that seeped out. As he reached for DiNozzo's face to wipe the blood from his cheek, DiNozzo backed away from him and went back to his desk. He dropped his face into his hands.

"Go home Tony." Gibbs said. DiNozzo popped up and looked to Gibbs.

"Go home." Gibbs said again softly. "All of you go home."

"Boss?" McGee started.

"This was not your fault. _**Any of you. . .**_" Gibbs emphasized as he looked them over and then looked back to DiNozzo, who had not moved.

"Go on home, Tony. That is an order." Gibbs said again. DiNozzo looked away from him and left.

**Abby's Lab**

"Gibbs, are they okay? I just heard what happened?" Abby asked. "I have to go see them."

"I just sent them home, Abs." Gibbs said.

"Well, I will check on them tomorrow." She said turning away.

"Thank you so much Gibbs. I just love the necklace. It matches the bracelet you got me last year and the ring too. I prefer when you hand deliver though Gibbs, you don't have to send Tony." Abby said as she showed them off. Gibbs smiled, gave her a kiss and left.

**Squad Room**

"Hey, are you ready to go?" Samantha asked, as she sat in his desk chair.

"I need to talk with, DiNozzo." Gibbs said, as he hustled through the squad room hoping to catch DiNozzo in the parking lot before he left.

"Can't you talk with him tomorrow?" She asked.

"I can't let this go." Gibbs stated.

"Gibbs." She said. "Please, can it just wait until tomorrow?"

**Squad Room**—2 weeks later

"Wow, where have you been, Gibbs?" Ziva asked as he entered the squad room.

"Oh, you have your neck brace off." He said. She nodded with a smile.

"Yes, nearly three days later." Ziva said. Where have you been?"

"I need to talk with DiNozzo." Gibbs said. "I have needed to have a serious talk with him for almost three weeks now."

"Oh, he and McGee are on a stakeout." Ziva stated.

"Really?" Gibbs said.

"Where did you and Samantha go?" She asked.

"We spent two weeks in California. She had a conference." Gibbs said.

"Well, I have to go pick up some food and relieve Tony." Ziva said grabbing her jacket.

"Send him here. I need to talk to him." Gibbs said.

"Oh, he has to be really tired Gibbs. He just did a 12 hour shift." Ziva stated.

"Oh—okay." Gibbs said sitting down at his desk. "Maybe I can catch him later.

**Vance's Office**

"Gibbs, come on in." Vance said.

"I need to talk to you about your team." Vance said shaking his head.

"DiNozzo, DiNozzo just cannot handle the pressure of running this team when you are absent." Vance stated.

"What? No, he is very capable, Leon." Gibbs stated. "He has done it so many times before."

"That was before that ambush. He just isn't motivated anymore. He has tried to resign twice now. I think he is even trying to get fired now." Vance stated.

"What!" Gibbs said. "Are we talking about my Agent DiNozzo?"

"The same." Vance said. "Yes, we are. He has changed."

"Something is going on with David also. Although she has not confirmed it, I am getting the impression she and DiNozzo are . . .involved right now." Gibbs started laughing as the suggestion.

"That would never happen." Gibbs laughed.

"You claimed you would never marry again, and yet, here you are less than two weeks from the big day." Vance stated. "What are your plans after?"

"Honeymoon in Europe for a month." Gibbs stated.

"Then?" Vance asked.

"What?" Gibbs asked.

"Your team is not so sure that you will come back." Vance stated. Gibbs nodded amazed at the comment, trying to shake off the statement as ridiculous.

"Especially DiNozzo." Vance added. Gibbs glared at Vance, trying to understand what was going on with DiNozzo.

"Don't interfere with this stakeout Gibbs. Your team is almost done. Just let them finish this and let it play out." Vance stated. Gibbs nodded in agreement.

"What is the case? Who are they staking out?" Gibbs asked.

"It is complicated, but we think we located the rest of the terrorist cell involved in setting up the ambush at the airport." Vance explained. ". . .the ones responsible for the bomb."

"You don't want me involved in this?" Gibbs asked.

"I would have when it started." Vance said. Gibbs stood up and left.

**Squad Room**

"What are you doing here, Boss?" DiNozzo asked walking in to the squad room and sitting down at his desk. Gibbs stood up and walked over to him. Gibbs took in his appearance. He still had a cut healing on his cheek. DiNozzo looked and sounded exhausted as he slouched down in his chair.

"I wanted to talk to you. I have wanted to talk to you for almost three weeks now." Gibbs said standing in front of his desk looking down at him.

"Tony?" Gibbs said. "Are you listening to me?" Gibbs asked gently.

"Yeah." DiNozzo said nodding looking up at Gibbs. His eyes were real heavy, but he focused on Gibbs.

"Is everything all right?" Gibbs asked.

"Yeah. The stakeout is over. Ziva and McGee just arrested the terrorist responsible for the airport blast." DiNozzo said in a very monotone voice. Gibbs continued to watch him and walked around the desk to stand next to him.

"Good. I am glad that is over with." Gibbs said. The fact that Gibbs was standing so close to DiNozzo would normally cause him to stiffen and to worry about a head slap. Although Gibbs acknowledged how tired he was, DiNozzo was also acting differently around him.

"So how are the wedding plans coming?" DiNozzo asked. Gibbs was surprised by the change in subject.

"They are coming along. We are getting closer." Gibbs answered.

"That's great. It is getting close. Wow, in another week and a half, you will be married." DiNozzo said.

"Yeah, are you okay with that?" Gibbs asked, looking him over.

"Wha. . .of course I am okay with that." DiNozzo said strongly, sitting up in the seat. The comment seemed to wake him up. "Why wouldn't I be? Why would it even matter what I think?"

"What is this I hear that you have tried to resign?" Gibbs asked. "Vance said he wouldn't let you, and now he thinks you are trying to get fired."

"Now that is just plain crazy." DiNozzo said in an angry tone. He got up and tried to walk away. Gibbs grabbed his arm.

"Is it?" Gibbs asked standing in front of him.

"Yeah. At least the part about me wanting to get fired." DiNozzo stated.

"Okay. Then why did you try to quit?" Gibbs asked.

"You have to ask?" DiNozzo said, looking down.

"It wasn't your fault." Gibbs stated. "It was my fault. This team is my responsibility, and I wasn't here."

"I was responsible for nine people dying at that airport." DiNozzo said. Gibbs inhaled at the sound of that.

"Once again, it is my fault. Not yours." Gibbs said. "And why are you giving gifts to Abby and then saying that they are from me?"

"How did you find out about that?" DiNozzo asked.

"She thanked me for the gift, Tony." Gibbs said. "And, I had forgotten about her birthday."

"Normally, you wouldn't have." DiNozzo said. "You have a lot going on."

"Yeah, . . ." Gibbs said. "Thanks Tony. You don't need to do that though. Why did you do it?"

"She was really upset." DiNozzo finally admitted. Gibbs looked up and realized how upset she must have been.

"How about you?" Gibbs asked looking him over. "Are you upset with me too?" Gibbs watched him closely.

"No. Why would I be?" DiNozzo asked.

Gibbs looked him over. DiNozzo was struggling to keep his eyes open. His body occasionally swayed as they talked. Gibbs reached over and cuffed his cheek. He looked him over closely as he held him still.

"I am having trouble reading you right now, Tony." Gibbs admitted. He continued to cuff his cheek, as he leaned in to look directly into DiNozzo's eyes. "So you need to answer my questions."

"It is the lack of sleep. Trust me, there isn't much going on in here." DiNozzo said pointing to his head.

"Are you sure you don't have a problem. . .with me getting married." Gibbs said.

"No. Why would I?" DiNozzo said. "And, why would it matter even if I did?"

"Because of your father." Gibbs said. DiNozzo backed up from Gibbs releasing the hold Gibbs had on him. "When he was staying at my place for Thanksgiving, we talked about that."

"You talked about that." DiNozzo asked. The reminder that the two men spent time alone together made Tony nervous.

"Whenever he would get married, the two of you became very distant." Gibbs said. "Is that what you think will happen with us?"

"No, Boss." DiNozzo said.

"Your behavior has changed, since I started dating." Gibbs said.

"No Boss. I wanted you to date. Remember McGee and I tried to find you a perfect date for you?" DiNozzo added.

"But now I am getting married." Gibbs said.

"Is that going to be a problem?" Gibbs asked, stepping closer and grabbing hold of his shoulder.

"No." DiNozzo said.

"Now, I don't want to come back from my honeymoon and find out you have quit." Gibbs said sternly. DiNozzo shook his head looking away from Gibbs.

"Go home. Get some sleep. You look terrible. I will see you tomorrow." Gibbs said, giving him a light slap on the cheek.

**Two Months Later from the start of the countdown**

**Vance's Office**

Gibbs stood outside Vance's office remembering the events that led up to his new marriage and the honeymoon. He headed over to Cyber Crimes to visit McGee.

"McGee." Gibbs shouted when he got off the elevator.

"Hey Boss, you have a visitor." A tech expert yelled to McGee.

"Oh, heeey, Boss. Welcome back. How was your honeymoon?" McGee asked.

"Apparently, too long. I came back and found out my team is gone." Gibbs stated.

"Oh, yeah, well Tony felt it was his time. His father has been in town lately. He talked Tony into joining him on some kind of business project in New York."

"So he. . .just _quit_." Gibbs said.

"We couldn't stay together forever. Ziva and I even discussed that last year, when she was dating Ray. Then the three of us discussed it a few weeks ago. I think it was something Tony needed to do, Boss. I don't think you could have talked him out of it. But, Vance tried, Ducky tried, Abby and I tried, but he made up his mind." McGee explained. "It was his choice to make, and he made it."

"He has never, within the eleven years that I have worked with him, ever indicated to me that he would quit being a cop to join any kind of business project with his father." Gibbs said.

"Well people do change. People do change their minds. Boss, I am leaving too." McGee admitted. "I do want to try this position in Japan."

"McGee, I would be lying if I said I wanted you to go." Gibbs said. "I don't want you to leave. I can't lose my whole team here."

"You never know. We might be back. Tony felt that way. He didn't believe that it would work out with him being with his father every day. Though he said it is better when his father isn't married because his father actually pays attention to him. That is why they are getting along so much better right now."

"How is Abby handling all of these changes?" Gibbs asked.

"Not well, she might be coming with me for a few months." McGee explained.

"Is Ziva really pregnant?" Gibbs asked.

"Yeah, I guess she is almost two months along." McGee answered. Gibbs shook his head for missing the signs of that. He had been on DiNozzo the second that he started dating Agent Barrett, but he missed that two of his agents were sleeping together.

"Oh, I was supposed to give you this by the way. Tony and Ziva want you and Dr. Ryan to come out to New York sometime. I guess Senior insisted that you stay with him. He feels he really owes you after letting him stay at your place for Thanksgiving. Here is an address and phone number for them. I also have the address and phone number where Abby and I will be." McGee said handing him the paper.

"Thank you McGee." Gibbs said stepping into the elevator. Gibbs stood in the elevator holding onto the sheet of paper that McGee had just given him. In one of his hands, he stared at the piece of paper, and the other hand he had his new wedding ring.

The End=a.k.a. Armageddon = a.k.a. Cancellation or spin-offs

Author Notes: This is just a "what if" scenario, with an extreme outcome. I do feel that JLC's character steals Gibbs away from the team and does not show much respect toward them. (Again no disrespect to JLC intended)

Thank you for reading and for all your feedback! :)


End file.
